SERM.

Furthermore, He is so called to distinguish Him from heat. The lights which we make for these private uses, do not only give light but heat also, but God giveth light without heat; wherefore such as are of a fiery spirit as the disciples that said, "Shall we command that fire come down from heaven and consume them?" are not like God. Christ is 2 Pet. 1.19. called the "day-star," not the dog-star. God is said to have Gen. 3. 8. "walked in the cool of the day," not in the heat of the day. When God would speak to Elijah, He shewed Himself neither

[Lu. 9. 54.]

11, 12.

1 Kings 19. "in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in fire, but in a small still voice:" to teach men that, if they will be like God, they must be of a meck and quiet spirit. He is said to 1 Tim.6.16. "dwell in the light," not that He is of a hot fiery nature as our lights are, but because IIe giveth us the light of knowledge.

In respect of the number, He is not called the Father of one light, but Pater luminum. It was an imperfection in Jacob, Gen.27.37. that he had but one blessing. God is not the cause of some 1 Cor. 15. one good thing, but as there are divers stars "and one star differeth from another in glory," so as we receive many good things and of them some are greater than others, so they all come from God, Who is the author and fountain of them all.

41.

Our manifold imperfections are noted by the word tenebræ, which is a word of the plural number, and in regard thereof it is needful that God in Whom we have perfection shall not be Pater luminis but Pater luminum. Our miseries are many; therefore that He may deliver us quite out of miseries, there Ps. 130. 7. is with the Lord copiosa redemptio. The sins which we commit against God are many; therefore He is the Father, 2 Cor. 1. 3. not of one mercy but Pater misericordiarum. The Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 10. Peter tells us that the mercy of God is multiformis gratia. So that whether we commit small sins or great, we may be Ps. 51. 1. bold to call upon God for mercy: "According to the multitude of Thy mercies have mercy upon me." For as our sins

do abound, so the mercy of God whereby He pardoneth and

Rom. 3.17. is inclined to pardon us, is exuberans gratia.

The darkness that we are subject to is manifold: there is darkness inward, not only in the understanding where the Eph. 4. 18. Gentiles are said "to have their cogitations darkened," but in 1 Joh. 2. 9. the heart whereof the Apostle speaketh, "He that hateth his brother is in darkness,"

And there is the darkness of tribulation and affliction, whereof the Prophet speaketh, "Thou shalt make my darkness to be Ps. 18. 28. light;" and the misery which the wicked suffer in the world. to come which our Saviour calleth "utter darkness." God Mat. 22.13. doth help us and give us light in all these darknesses, and therefore is called "the Father of lights."

As the sun giveth light to the body, so God hath provided light for the soul; and that is, first, the light of nature, which teacheth us that this is a just thing, ne alii facias quod tibi fieri non vis: from this light we have this knowledge, that we are not of ourselves but of another, and of this light the Wise Man saith, "The soul of man is the candle of the Lord." They Prov. 20. that resist this light of nature are called rebelles lumini. Job 24. 13. With this light "every one that cometh into this world is enlightened." Howbeit this light hath caught a fall, as Mephi- . .] bosheth did, and thereupon it halteth; notwithstanding, because it is of the blood royal, it is worthy to be made of.

27.

Joh. 1. 9.

[2 Sam.

105.

Next, God kindleth a light of Grace by His word, which is lux pedibus, and lux oculis; and that we may be capable of this Ps. 119. outward light, He lighteneth us with His Spirit; because the Ps. 19. 8. light of the Law shined but darkly, therefore He hath called us into the light of His Gospel, which is "His marvellous light.” 1 Pet. 2. 9. He lighteth the outward darkness of affliction by ministering comfort; "there springeth up light for the righteous, and Ps. 97. 11. joyful gladness for such as are true of heart." "In the multi- Ps. 94. 19. tude of my sorrows, Thy comforts have refreshed my soul." "He giveth us everlasting consolation, and good hope through 2 Thes. 2. grace." And that we should not be cast into utter darkness, He hath "made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of Col. 1. 12, the saints in light," yea, "He hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His beloved Son."

From hence it followeth: first, if all good things be "gifts," we may not boast of them; if they come from God, we may not forget Him from Whom we receive them.

16.

13.

Secondly, because "gifts" are rather commendata quam data, because there is λóyos dóσews, seeing God will come Phil. 4. 15. and take account of the talents, we must neither wastefully Mat. 25. 19. misspend them, nor have them without profit. Ut crescit Lu. 15. 13. donum, sic crescat ratio donati.

Mat. 25. 27.

SERM.

II.

Thirdly, seeing they come from above, we must not be like blind moles, nor as swine grovelling upon the earth, which eat the acorns that fall from the tree and never look up, but it may teach us to look up: Sursum cor, qui habes sursum caput.

Fourthly, seeing God is Pater luminum, we must walk as 1Thes. 5.5. "children of light," for we are not "darkness but light." Eph. 5. 8. Fifthly, seeing God hath divers good things in His hand to give, we must desire to receive them from Him by prayer.

A

PREPARATION TO PRAYER.

SERMON III.

MATTHEW vii. 7.

Ash, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

[Petite, et dabitur vobis; quærite, et invenietis; pulsate, et aperietur vobis. Lat. Vulg.]

[Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Eng. Trans.]

AFTER the consideration of our own inability mentioned by St. Paul, and the examination of the manifold goodness of 2 Cor. 3. 5. God from Whom, as St. James saith, "every good giving [Jas. 1.17.] and every perfect gift cometh;" because we see that of ourselves we cannot so much as think any good, and yet that from "the Father of lights" we may receive that grace which shall enable us to do all things; now it followeth by good order, that we repair to God for that power which we have not of ourselves. Christ will not have "holy things given to [Mat. 7.6.] dogs," nor "pearls cast to swine," that is, to such as make no account of them; and therefore if we esteem of the grace of Christ or make any reckoning of it, we must come to Him for it. Now we cannot come to God but by prayer, as Augustine saith: Non passibus sed precibus itur ad Deum, et nuncius noster oratio est quæ ibi mandatum nostrum peragit quo caro nostra pervenire nequit; It is not with paces but with prayers we go to God, and our messenger is prayer which there doth our errand where our flesh cannot come.' Therefore Christ saith, Do not wait as swine till the grace of God be

Y

SERM. cast unto you, but if you will have it, "ask, and it shall be III. given to you."

The tenor of this Scripture hath this coherence: first, knowing our own insufficiency and the goodness of God from Whom "every good thing cometh," presently we wish with ourselves that He would admit us to be suitors unto Him. Therefore Christ in the word "Ask," tells us, that God hath His Courts of Requests, that we may be bold to put up our supplications.

Secondly, whereas earthly princes may perhaps afford a good countenance but will not grant the thing that is sought for at their hands, Christ saith that "the Father of lights" is not only affable but liberal; so that albeit we be not only Gen.18.27. “dust and ashes" and therefore unworthy to pray to God, but also wretched sinners unworthy to be heard, because as Joh. 9. 31. the blind man saith peccatores non exaudit Deus, "yet He will Ps. 66. 18. not cast out our prayers nor turn IIis mercy from us;" but if we "ask, it shall be given."

20.

Thirdly, that we should not think that as in the world there are many suitors but few obtainers, so howsoever all do pray unto God yet we are not in the number of those that speed, therefore Christ addeth, "Whosoever asketh, receiveth; whosoever seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." No unworthiness of our own can exclude us from the mercy of God, for He receiveth the prayer not only Lu. 18. 14. of the Publican but of the prodigal son, and promiseth mercy Lu. 23. 43. to the "thief hanging on the cross," if at the last hour he

Lu. 15. 20.

seeketh it by prayer.

Of these two verses there are three parts: first a precept, Petite, quærite, pulsate, "Ask, seek, knock;" secondly, a promise, "It shall be given, ye shall find, and it shall be opened;" thirdly, an enlargement of the promise, which is made not only to such as are of just and holy conversation, but to sin[Mat. 7.8.] ners, "for whosoever asketh, receiveth."

As on God's behalf we see, first, His affability; secondly, His liberality; thirdly, the largeness of His liberality: so on our own parts we are taught, first, that we may boldly pour out our desires before God; secondly, we may conceive hope to be heard in the thing we crave; thirdly, not an uncertain hope, confounded through our own unworthiness, "For who